John MacArthur’s Final Message on Legacy, Faithfulness, and the Future of Grace Church

Audio By Carbonatix

Phil Johnson, executive director of Grace To You ministries at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, shared a clip earlier this week in which someone from the congregation asked John MacArthur, who passed away Monday at 86, who would succeed him after he is gone.

"I know that Grace is a kind of church today because of your relentless, passionate love for sound doctrine," someone from the congregation shared during a Q&A at the church. "Just wondering, what's gonna happen to Grace when you're gone?"

He added, "I don't know anybody else in the world that has the same kind of love, the same kind of aggressive pursuit and exposure for truth to get it out there than you."

In response, MacArthur quoted from the famed hymn writer Charles Wesley: "The Lord buries his workers, but his work goes on."

He added that his life being removed from this world is like taking one's hand out of a bucket of water and saying, "There's no hole; it fills in."

"God has his people in every time and every age," said MacArthur. "I'm not indispensable. I'm just the servant for whatever time the Lord gives me."

MacArthur, who served as the pastor-teacher at Grace for more than 56 years, also shared how he has been asked for years about a succession plan, Church Leaders reports.

"You know, people ask me, 'What's the replacement plan around here?'" he said. 

Despite admitting that he was supposed to be retired, MacArthur contended, "But, I can't imagine that as long as I'm functioning,"

"I'm just glad that the Lord's allowed me to function at this point," he continued. "Faithfulness is its own reward."

MacArthur, who served as pastor-teacher of Grace for over 56 years, noted how there has been "accumulation" of knowledge as he has continued to preach after reaching age.

"There's a sense in which you have more than you've ever had before. There's more to offer," he said concerning the Bible.

"I'm just glad that the Lord's allowed me to function at this point," said MacArthur. "Faithfulness is its own reward."

"Whatever happens to me, this church has so many great, gifted, dedicated, highly motivated, passionate preachers coming behind me," the late pastor said. "There will be plenty of them to take my place."

All of MacArthur's sermons, dating back to 1969, can be found on the Grace To You website.

"God eventually allowed our resources to go beyond U.S. borders—we began planting offices throughout the English-speaking world," the ministry's website says. "Today, you'll find us in Canada, India, and Europe."

In May 2011, MacArthur completed preaching through the entire New Testament. A strong proponent of expository preaching, MacArthur is remembered for his "careful study and verse-by-verse exposition of Scripture."

"Even after I'm dead, Grace to You will still be pumping messages out all over the planet," said MacArthur. "So I will be speaking even after I'm gone."

John MacArthur's reply to a question many are asking: pic.twitter.com/FKabl1G5DC

— Phil Johnson (@Phil_Johnson_) July 15, 2025

Photo Credit: ©Grace to You

Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.